Chapter 13: Zhang Xueer, the Saintly Teacher

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“Dad, Mom, hurry up!”

Huanhuan, dressed in a brand-new, spotless school uniform, tugged at Chaochao and urged Zhou Chen and Nan Li, who were still in the room.

“Coming, coming.”

Zhou Chen stepped out of the room. Today he was wearing a white crew-neck T-shirt beneath a pale-yellow jacket, paired with blue jeans.

Nan Li followed behind him in a white one-piece dress with a silk scarf around her neck. Set against her fair skin, the dress made her look both pure and beautiful.

She had gotten up early that morning to prepare for Huanhuan’s singing competition and had been busy until now.

“Dad, Mom, you’re so slow,” Huanhuan complained.

“It isn’t time yet, so don’t rush,” Nan Li said. “Today is the final round. You need to keep a steady mindset and absolutely mustn’t let your guard down.”

“Your mother’s right. Don’t take it lightly. Give it everything you’ve got.”

Zhou Chen was feeling somewhat excited. He knew very well that the plot of *A Little Dilemma* began after Huanhuan took part in the singing competition. Today, he would finally meet the famous Tian Yulan and her mother, Cai Juying.

During the time since he had crossed into this world, everything apart from writing novels had remained much the same as before. Now that the story was finally about to begin, it was only natural that he felt a little stirred.

A few days earlier, he had invested all his money in Bitcoin, buying four hundred thousand yuan’s worth in one go. Its price had been rising steadily over the past few days.

His novel had also passed two hundred thousand words and was nearing publication. This month, he would receive the rewards from last month, and next month he would begin receiving subscription revenue.

Everything was developing in a positive direction. To Zhou Chen, that meant a great deal, because he knew perfectly well how important money would become in the days ahead.

That week, Zhou Chen had also met Mi Tao’s mother.

When Nan Li learned that Mi Tao’s mother was working at Tian Yulan’s home as well, she couldn’t help complaining to Zhou Chen. Even hiring a part-time cleaner had somehow brought them together again. It really was a case of enemies meeting on a narrow road.

Faced with Nan Li’s grumbling, Zhou Chen could only smile and comfort her.

Zhou Chen drove the family of four happily toward Wind-Sail Primary School. Since the school was holding an event that day, quite a few parents had come.

Huanhuan was taking part in the competition, so after arriving at school, she went to meet the others backstage in the large classroom.

The event had not yet begun, so Zhou Chen and Nan Li wandered around the school with Chaochao.

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As they walked, Nan Li’s phone rang. It was her father, Nan Jianlong. He knew Huanhuan was competing that day and had called to ask how things were going.

Zhou Chen keenly noticed that Nan Li’s manner when speaking to her father was completely different from the way she spoke to her mother, the so-called princess. There was a trace of perfunctory impatience in it.

Recently, Zhou Chen had occasionally brought up her father indirectly, but every time, Nan Li either stopped after saying only a few words or appeared impatient.

It was clear that Nan Li still had not come to terms with the old man’s marital infidelity years ago.

Zhou Chen understood her. Her father had cheated on her mother and divorced her when their daughter was on the verge of taking the college entrance examination. Who could possibly endure something like that?

“Teacher Zhang.”

A woman approached them from the opposite direction. The moment Nan Li saw her, she called out.

One glance was enough for Zhou Chen to recognize her. Wasn’t she Huanhuan’s homeroom teacher—the famously saintly Teacher Zhang from the drama?

In the television series, Teacher Zhang was also an important supporting character. Her personality, teaching style, and educational philosophy were qualities that few ordinary teachers possessed.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that there might not be even one teacher like her among a hundred.

Zhou Chen was not trying to deny the value of Teacher Zhang’s approach. In many people’s eyes, a teacher like her was wonderful, and most students would certainly like such a homeroom teacher.

But what was the reality?

If students were not studying for the sake of learning, then what were they studying for?

Sometimes parents were not trying to force their children to study. It was simply that they had all been through the world themselves and understood how difficult life in society could become without a diploma.

Unless a family was truly wealthy enough to leave its child a fortune to inherit, at least ninety percent of people would have to rely on their education to make a living.

“Huanhuan’s father, Huanhuan’s mother, did you come to cheer Huanhuan on?” Teacher Zhang asked.

Teacher Zhang was young and beautiful, and her smile was exceptionally warm and approachable.

“Yes,” Nan Li replied. “Today is a big day for Huanhuan. The whole family came to support her.”

Teacher Zhang smiled. “Huanhuan is so fortunate to have parents like you. I watched her rehearsal. As long as she performs normally, she should definitely place.”

Huanhuan was cheerful, could sing and dance, and was also the assistant class monitor. Teachers naturally loved students like her.

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After receiving Teacher Zhang’s praise, Nan Li beamed. Every parent took pride in their children, and she was no exception.

Zhou Chen asked, “Teacher Zhang, Huanhuan has been preparing for the singing competition recently. Has she fallen behind in her studies?”

Teacher Zhang froze, clearly surprised. In her memory, Huanhuan’s parents had never placed particularly high demands on her academically. She had not expected them to take the initiative and ask about her studies.

“No, she hasn’t. Huanhuan has been working very hard. Although she’s been preparing for the competition, she hasn’t neglected her schoolwork. Our school holds these competitions on the condition that they do not interfere with academic studies. Huanhuan’s father, you can rest assured.”

“I’ll rest assured when pigs fly.”

Zhou Chen smiled on the surface, but secretly scoffed inwardly. If he had not known that Huanhuan would rank near the bottom in the midterm examinations, he might really have believed Teacher Zhang’s words, just as Nan Li had.

“That’s good. By the way, where’s Zhong Yi? It’s been a long time since the two of us fellow disciples last met. Is he doing well?”

At the mention of Zhong Yi, Zhou Chen felt deeply melancholy. *A Little Dilemma*—the title said it all. Throughout the entire series, everyone else gained something, while Zhong Yi alone was the one who sacrificed. His was the tragedy that ran through the whole story.

Teacher Zhang replied, “Zhong Yi didn’t come today. If you need something, I can pass on a message.”

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking that we haven’t seen each other in ages. When he has some free time, we should get together.”

Zhou Chen smiled. Zhong Yi and Zhang Xue’er were a couple, but their educational philosophies were completely different.

Zhang Xue’er placed students’ physical and emotional well-being first, with academic performance taking second place. Zhong Yi, on the other hand, pursued grades above all else. In his view, students had to prove themselves through their results. As long as their grades improved, everything else could be ignored.

Neither of these two educational philosophies was inherently wrong. The key problem was that neither of them knew how to find the proper balance.

After parting from Zhang Xue’er, Nan Li asked Zhou Chen in puzzlement, “Honey, what’s gotten into you today? You’ve suddenly started worrying about Huanhuan’s studies. And before, when I asked you to keep in touch with your junior fellow disciple Zhong Yi and have him look after Huanhuan a little, you refused. Why did you suddenly say in front of Teacher Zhang that you wanted to get together with him?”

“Things change with circumstances. Before, I hadn’t realized how serious the problem was. Now that I do, of course I have to make some changes.”

“What serious problem? What are you talking about? You’re making it sound terrifying.” Nan Li had no idea what Zhou Chen meant.

Zhou Chen did not explain. He merely said, “I’ll tell you when we get home. The competition is about to start. Let’s hurry over.”

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